Protector
by Misfit Writer
Summary: Sam comes to the painful realization that he really has to stop leaving his brother alone. Being the protector really isn’t his gig…good thing Caleb’s around to help him fill those shoes. Ridley C. James' Brotherhood AU & Caleb


I've absolutely fallen in love with Ridley C. James' Brotherhood AU, and got a few ideas. So, Caleb, and the entire idea of the Brotherhood and anything that looks familiar from any of her stories, are all Ridley's. Go read her stories, they're all amazing.

**Summary: **Dean sends Sam away for supplies, and Sam comes to the painful realization that he _really _has to stop leaving his brother alone. Being the protector _really_ isn't his gig…good thing Caleb's around to help him fill those shoes.

* * *

Dean glanced back over his shoulder at the bar he and the vixen in his arms had just stepped out of. He really wished he hadn't gone out tonight…not alone. He knew he was in some deep trouble, and there was no one to get him out of it. There was no way for him to get himself out of it.

"So where are you staying, darlin'?" the woman purred, leaning into the hunter's side. Dean had to fight the urge to shove her away; he had to make her believe he had no idea what she was until he had a plan.

Instead, Dean sent her an impish grin, and gestured across the street. "Right over there, babe," he responded, guiding her towards the cheap motel he and Sam had booked for three nights. The motel room that would now be empty since he'd sent Sam two states away to collect some supplies while Dean did some more investigating on the rash of deaths of men in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Of course, he was never supposed to actually go out and put himself in the kind of danger he was in now.

"So, of all the pretty girls in the bar, what made a gorgeous guy like you pick me to take home?" the seductress questioned softly, stroking his arm. Dean couldn't fight the way his chest tightened in desire at the touch combined with her overpowering scent. She existed to do exactly what she was doing to him, so there was no way he could stop her.

"You just stood out from all of them…your eyes drew me in more than anything," he responded. While it was a stretch, it wasn't a lie. She had met his eyes, and ensnared him in her trap. The way his body tensed and he lost control of his actions for a second set off alarms in his head.

"I've never seen you around here before. You visiting family?" she inquired innocently, and Dean swallowed hard at the sexy lilt of her southern accent.

"No, I'm here for work with my brother."

That stopped her for a moment. "You're brother? Is he-"

"No!" Dean assured quickly with a laugh. "No, he ran out for a few days to get some supplies."

She relaxed, and tugged him across the street and into an alleyway. Panic began to rise in Dean's throat, but he tried to shove it down. He had to keep calm. "Let's have some fun out here, just to be safe," she breathed in his ear, pressing herself against him. She backed him up against a wall, and pressed her lips to his.

He knew he had to think fast. It wouldn't be long before she tried to…get more intimate, and there was no way in hell he was gonna let that happen. _No way I'm gonna let some fricken' succubus take me out. But _damn_, Sammy, I wish you were here. It's gonna be hard to get out of this on my own. _He was jerked from his thoughts when her hands slid under his shirt and she began to inch it up his chest. Buying more time, he played along, shivering slightly against the cool night air against his bare skin. She latched onto his mouth again, kissing him so aggressively that his head smacked against the brick wall a couple of times.

Dean placed his hands gently on her shoulder, and pushed against them. She pulled away with confusion in her ice-blue eyes. "Don't rush it, babe. Let's have some fun first."

A sly smile spread over her perfect teeth, and she nodded. "Okay. Just follow me, okay?"

Reluctantly, Dean nodded, and she took his hands. He followed her away from the wall, but was surprised when she pushed him to his knees, and then onto the ground on his back. Silently cursing himself, he realized he was now even more screwed than he'd been when he was against the wall. She had total control over him now. Straddling his hips, she guided his arms above his head, and pinned them there with one hand. With the other, she caressed his jawline, before leaning down to kiss him once more. Her lips slowly moved from his lips to his cheek, then neck, and then his shoulder, before she nipped the tender skin with her teeth.

When he tried to flip them, she shook her head, and pressed her hips into his. Dean grimaced against the sharp sting of rocks in his back, and realized that she had discovered his game. The flash of red in her eyes ensured that theory. "Tsk Tsk, Dean. We could have had such fun before I had to kill you. Now, it's just going to hurt," she growled. Dean held her eyes challengingly, not paying attention to the hand she was drawing back until the pain exploded in his shoulder.

The eldest Winchester bit his bottom lip to hold back his yelp of pain, and looked down to see her claw-like nails buried in his flesh. The lack of give when he moved slightly told him that they were imbedded in the ground as well, effectively immobilizing him. _Damn it_.

When her free hand traveled towards his belt, Dean had had enough. "All right, bitch, that's enough. Get the hell off of me."

His attitude was met with a fresh explosion of pain in his abdomen. This time, he couldn't suppress his cry of agony. Especially when she shifted forward, cutting through his stomach and shoulder easily as she leaned down and pressed her mouth to his once more. This time, she began to suck away his strength, set on her kill. Dean was powerless to stop her.

--

Caleb Reaves cursed loudly when he took in the empty motel room. "Where the hell is he?!" he snapped. He turned to face Sam, who was as pale as he'd ever seen him. After Caleb's vision of Dean's death at the hands of the succubus the brothers had been hunting, he and Sam made record time back to the city, hoping to find Dean safe, and them in time to save him. "The damn motel was in the vision!"

A pained cry silenced them, and they both knew without a doubt who's cry it was. It was too familiar not to recognize it. Without hesitation, Caleb and Sam bolted out of the room and towards the alley beside the building. The sight made Sam stumble to a halt, and Caleb curse under his breath. He just hoped they weren't too late.

Caleb drew his gun effortlessly, and aimed it at the siren perched on top of Dean. "Hey!" he shouted, a deadly tone to his voice. The woman looked over casually, as if she knew they would come. "Back off, bitch."

The woman gave him a mock-hurt look. "Oh, come now, that's no way to treat a lady, is it? Can't we just be friends?" she cooed, leaning down to Dean, and murmuring something in his ear.

Caleb could tell it wasn't good when Dean tensed and a cold fury replaced the agony shining in his eyes. "You stay the hell away from him!" Caleb was sure he was referring to Sam, with the fierce protectiveness lacing his warning, until the succubus turned a lustful gaze to the oldest hunter. "Don't even try it, bitch."

"The names just keep flying, don't they? It kinda hurts my feelings, Deany baby." She tightened her hands, and Caleb had to grab Sam's arm to keep the younger brother from rushing to his brother's aide. His free hand tightened the grip on his gun. "Don't even think about it," she snarled, looking up from Dean's agonized face.

"Get away from my brother!" Sam yelled, trying to pull away from Caleb. "Let me go! We have to help him!"

"Aw, how sweet," the succubus mocked, withdrawing her claws just enough to cause more pain to the man pinned beneath her. "Family love is so bittersweet."

"Screw you," Dean choked. The succubus withdrew her claws slowly, enjoying the barely-contained groans of pain she caused. Caleb was sure he heard Dean's favorite line of 'sonfofabitch' thrown in at least one time. Once her hand was free, she placed her bloody fingers to his lips.

"Be nice, baby. We can still have a little fun. I love an audience." Her hand trailed down his chest, pressing down on the skin around her nails, before unbuckling his belt before any of the men realized what she was doing.

"I can see you're good at this, but evil, sadistic witches really aren't my thing," Dean murmured, trying to push her away with his uninjured hand. The succubus just smacked his hand away, and began working his jeans off his hips.

Caleb fought hard to suppress his fury. "Playtime's over." Before she could react, he fired his gun twice, hitting her square in the temple. He watched Dean's eyes widen in surprise when she collapsed against him, and winced at the younger hunter's yelp of pain. Sam jerked free from his loose grip and skidded to Dean's side.

"Careful, Sam!" Caleb muttered, falling to his knees beside the youngest Winchester. He watched Dean carefully as Sam eased the succubus' body away from his brother. "Sorry, Deuce," he whispered, meeting Dean's eyes apologetically. He bit his bottom lip as he eased the claws out of Dean's abdomen, trying to block out the pain he was sensing from both of the Winchester boys-physical on Dean's part and emotional on Sam's, and the low groans coming from deep in Dean's throat. "I'm so damn sorry."

Dean forced a short, bark like laugh. "For what, man? You weren't even involved in this hunt, dude. If it wasn't for your shot, I would've ended up without a soul or with a bullet in me. Either way, I was screwed."

Caleb glanced up at Sam when he sensed a fresh wave of pain from the younger man. He knew Sam blamed himself for not being there when his brother needed him, but he could tell by the look in the deep brown pools that there was more to it than that. "We've got to get you to the motel so Sam here can clean you up. Can you stand?"

Dean nodded, pushing himself up to his elbows. Sam caught him hen his injured shoulder gave out on him. "Easy, dude, we've got you." Without another word, Caleb and Sam took on all of Dean's weight, guiding him to his feet. He was unable to maintain his own footing, so they half-carried him back to the room, where Caleb eased him onto one of the beds while Sam rushed to get the first aide kit.

Twenty minutes later, Dean was unconscious, the mix of exhaustion, bloodloss, and pain overcoming him. Caleb ran a hand through the oldest remaining Winchester's hair before turning to his brother, who was sitting on the bed beside him, worry etched deep into the young face. "Sam," he whispered softly, not wanting to risk waking Dean.

Sam looked up at him slowly. "Yeah?" Caleb gestured for them to step outside, but Sam immediately shook his head. "I'm not-"

Caleb raised a hand to stop him. "We'll leave the door open so we can keep an eye on the whole time."

Sam sighed, but relented. The two hunters stepped into the doorway of their motel room; enough distance to avoid waking Dean, but close enough to be at his side in an instant. "What is it?"

"You wanna tell me what's going on in your head?" Caleb questioned softly.

"Nothing is going on in my head," Sam retorted defensively. Caleb raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Stay away from my feelings, Reaves."

"Hey, I didn't ask to feel your angst on top of my own. What's up, dude? I mean…aside from Dean almost getting killed," he added, suddenly deathly serious.

Sam sighed. "I just…I can't leave him alone. Every time I do, he almost gets killed. But…even then I can't protect him myself."

"Sam-"

"No…I mean…damnit, we wouldn't even have known he was in trouble if you hadn't had that vision. And…like Dean said, if it weren't for you shooting her as fast as you did, she would've used him as a shield. I didn't do a damn thing to help him. He almost get killed…and I didn't do a damn thing."

Caleb sighed, and placed a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Sam, man, don't beat yourself up over this. No one can have a perfect track record. You've saved Dean's life more times than you realize, dude. Playing the protector by yourself all the time ain't easy. Dean can't do it on his own all the time, and neither can you. That's what I'm here for, dude."

Sam smiled halfheartedly, grateful for the support of the older hunter. He'd known from when they were kids that, no matter how much he pretended otherwise, Caleb saw the brothers as his own siblings; he had always been fiercely protective and loyal, willing to throw himself in front of anything intending to harm them.

Both Sam and Caleb were pulled from their thoughts when Dean began to toss in his sleep. Sam was instantly at his brother's side, despaired from the agony clear on his protector's face. "Dean…take it easy, man, you're safe. I'm here, I've got you. Easy, bro," he soothed, gripping his brother's right hand, his fingertips absently brushing the silver band that represented his position in the Brotherhood. The touch seemed to instantly calm Dean down. "That's it, Dean…you're good, bro."

Caleb smiled despite himself at the way Dean reacted to his brother's presence even in unconsciousness. "You still think you don't do a good job protecting him?"

Sam looked up at him, surprised by the question, almost as much as he was surprised at the relief the answer brought to him. "I never thought he needed me."

The oldest hunter laughed and shook his head. "Oh, trust me…he does."

* * *

Okay, so what do you think? I hope I got Caleb's character okay, not that there was much to really judge from…but I just hope I did Ridley some type of justice. Again, none of the Brotherhood is mine, nor is this version of Caleb. I could only wish to have the kind of talent used to create them. I just had an idea and ran with it, so…yeah…let me know how you guys think I did please!!!

Hopefully my other stories will have new chapters soon. I've been trying to get through a major bout of writer's block, and I ended up totally rewriting the second chapter of Chase. I can't wait to get that story off the ground, I am having so much fun planning it out. Soon I'll have some Supernatural fics without any original characters too, as soon as I can get my ideas into the computer.


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